BRANCHING OFF INTO HISTORY

The Outspan Tree, on the corner of Jan Hofmeyr and Outspan roads, is a landmark in Westville, writes a regular contributor. Before the construction of the railway in 1880, Jan Hofmeyr Road was part of the main transport route between Durban and the interior.

The wild fig tree (Ficus natalensis) marked the first overnight halt for ox-wagons, which could outspan beneath it. The tree, which was on the farm Wandsbeck, was declared a national monument in 1937.

The photo on the left was taken in 1948 and shows the original tree. Legend had it that treasure was buried beneath it. Damage by treasure hunters caused part of the tree to die.

The photo on the right (taken last month), is an offshoot of the original, and because of the power lines, is frequently pruned.

In 1941, the Bernard family bequeathed their farm for use as a school. Situated on Wandsbeck Road, this tiny school operated from the farmhouse, but grew so rapidly that eventually new schools had to be built: Westville Senior Primary (1957), Westville Junior Primary (1960) and Westville Girls’ High (1964). Westville Boys’ High, which has Jan Hofmeyr Road as one of its boundaries, occupies the site of the original farmhouse.

All four schools incorporate the Outspan Tree into their school badges, since all owe their origins to that first school, which was little more than a stone’s throw from that historic tree. Westville Junior Primary badge Westville Senior Primary badge: the swan is from the arms of Wandsbeck.

Westville Boys’ and Girls’ High have the same.

The Independent on Saturday appeals to readers who have old pictures of Durban and other parts of the province to send them to us for consideration. If any readers are featured in the old picture, we will do our best to recreate the scene with them in it again. Readers sending pictures digitally – images should be about 1MB – can address them, with the relevant information, to satmail@inl.co.za

If the pictures are in hard copy format, post to The Editor, Old Pictures, The Independent on Saturday, PO Box 47549, Greyville, 4023.